Lamp fixture



June 20, 1950 APPLEBY 2,512,129

LAMP FIXTURE Filed Sept. 3, 194a Max M flpmsan Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STAES slam '7 Claims.

This invention pertains to an attachment for electric incandescent lamps and more particularly to a device for attaching a decorative globe or enclosure, such as a glass Christmas tree ornament, over an electric incandescent lamp. Christmas trees and other ornamental objects commonly are decorated with strings of electric lamps. Such decorations may be made more attractive and pleasing to the eye by attaching a decorative enclosure over the lamps. The globe or enclosure may be colored or have designs or figures thereon which will be outlined by the light shining through the walls thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device, readily attachable to an electric incandescent lamp, for supporting a decorative globe or enclosure over the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which permits a. globe readily and easily to be attached thereto or detached therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such an attaching device that may be used to support a decorative globe either over an electric incandescent lamp or independently thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a globe attaching device which comprises few and simple parts, which is cheap to manufacture, and yet which provides a secure support for the globe.

Other objects, advantages, and economies of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevational view, partially in section, showing my device supporting a, decorative globe over an electric incandescent lamp.

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the spring clip which supports the globe.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a globe ll mounted over an electric incandescent lamp E2, or" the small Christmas tree type. The globe i i has a throat or neck l3 large enough to pennit the insertion of the lamp l2 therein. The lamp has a bulb iii, containing a filament, and a threaded stem or base i5 mounted in a socket it provided with the usual electrical connections H. The rim of the socket it is provided with a conventional annular bead it. The globe attaching device comprises a carrier member I9 consisting of a disc shaped portion 253 provided with 9, depending annular collar 2!. Centrally located in the carrier member i9 is a circular opening 22 for supporting the member in position on the lamp 52. The carrier member 59 is supported in proper position by inserting the base [5 of the lamp 52 through the opening 22 and attaching the base in the socket it. The opening 22 in the carrier member i9 is large enough to fit over the base l5, but not large ill 2 enough to slip over the enlarged bulb it of the lamp 512 or the head it of the socket, it. Thus, the carrier member 99 is positioned properly on the lamp by being supported between the bulb l4 and the bead H3.

As an alternative supporting arrangement, not shown in the drawings, the opening 272 may be made large enough to slip over the top of the socket it, but not large enough to slip over the annular head it Thus, instead of supporting the carrier member it around the base it of the lamp 82, as shown, it may hang from the socket it. v

The carrier member 39 is provided with a pair of radially elongated openings 23 diametrically located on opposite sides oi the central opening nd equally spaced therefrom. The inner ends of the openings may merge into the central opening E12, not shown, and thus comprise slots radially extending from the opening 22. The globe supporting memberis a clip, generally indicated by the numeral 26:, formed of resilient metallic material. The clip E l has legs 25 intended to project through the elongated openings 23 and to extend downwardly through the throat l3 and outwardly into yielding engagement with the inner wall of the globe or enclosure M. The legs near their lower extremities, may have an outwardly curved portion fit to provide a smooth surface for engagement with the inner Wall of the globe ii. The leg connecting portion of the spring clip E l includes two relatively short substantially parallel arms 2i, which support the clip on the upper surface of the carrier member it and extend substantially at right angles to the plane which includes the legs 25, and an upstanding substantially U shaped portion 28 having short connecting extensions 25} joining the parallel arms 21.

From the construction thus far described, it can be seen that the U-shaped portion 28 of the clip 24 provides resiliency to aid in springing the legs 25 apart, and readily permits the legs to be drawn together for insertion into or withdrawal from the throat it of the globe l l. The elongated openings 23 in the carrier member l9 permit some freedom of movement to the upper ends of the legs 25 to allow the legs to be drawn together more readily. It also will be noted that the leg connecting portions 21 28, and 29 are offset laterally from the central opening 22 so as not to interfere with the lamp socket it.

The attachment of a globe or enclosure to my device is extremely simple. The device may be used with any globe or enclosure having an opening 22 large enough to permit insertion of the bulb i l and the legs 25 of the clip i l. The device also may be used with a globe or enclosure that does not have a throat portion but merely has an opening 22 therein. The globe H is positioned against the carrier member It with the bulb l4 projecting into the globe through the opening 22.

The legs 25 of the spring clip 24 are drawn together and pushed through the elongated openings 23 in the'carrier member I9. Once clear of the openings 23 a'ndthe throat Hi, the le s 25 spring apart and the curved portions 26 bear against the inner wall of the globe l I, thus seating the base of the throat 13 against the lower edge of the collar 21 and the rim of the opening 22 against the underside of the disc shaped portion 20, as shown in Figure l. Varying the proportions between the length of the throat l3 and the width of the collar 21 will cause the globe to seat separately against either the underside of the disc shaped portion '20 or the lower edge of thecollar 2|. -It ispreferred, however, to arrange the proportions to cause the globe to seat as shown.

The globe ll may be detached from the device by'grasping the clip 24 by its -U-shaped portion'23, and pulling the clip from the carrier member -13 while at the same time pressing together'the depending legs f the U-shaped portion, or the carriermember or clip maybe held and the globe pulledaway. The legs25 will be'drawn together to release the globe -II by bearing against the inner sides of the throat I3 of the globe. w

While I have shown'the carrier member 19 as having a 'disc shaped portion '29 provided with a-depending annular collar 21, it will be obvious that the carrier membermay beconstructed in the form of a partial sphere, or may be dishsh'aped'to enable the globe toseat snugly there'- against. Furthermore, while I have shown the U-shaped'portion 28oftheclip 24 as being upstanding for greater ease of manipulation, it will be obvious that the same result will be had if the 'U-shaped portion lies'in the plane which includes thearms 21,or in a plane lying at any angle between the one shown and the one which includes the arms 21. The U-shaped portion 29 also may'be'merely a continuation of the arms 2? without the connecting extensions 29. In addition,'a'ny angular'variation of the arms 21 which serves to support thecli 24in proper positionin the openings23in the carriermernber 19 may be employed. The globe or "enclosure H has been illustrated as spherical in shape, but obviously other'shapes of enclosures, including rectangular, oval, or irregular shapes may be supported by correspondingly 'shaped carrier devices.

While the attaching device isintended to support a decorative globe or other enclosure over an electric incandescent'lampjit is obvious that thedevice fnay beused to support a globe without a laniptherein. Inthe latt'er event, the U -shaped portion28 otthe clip may be attached directlyt'o any support, or aclip having a 'U-shaped portion in the same planeas the'globe engaging legs 25 maybesubstituted for the clipas shown.

Various other modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art without departing'from the scope oftheinvention as set out in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. An enclosure holderfor an electric incandescentlamphaving a bulb and a base adapted to be attached in a socket, comprisin in combination a'carrier member having a substantially flat portion provided with "a supporting opening and two spring clipholding openings on opposite sides of said supporting opening, said member being adapted to be supported over the Iampin closeproximity tothe'bas'e thereof with th'ebu'lb projecting through totheunder side ofthe carrier member, and an enclosure supporting spring clip having a pair of divergent downwardly extending enclosure engaging legs adapted to project through said clip holdingopenings beyond saidunderside of said carrier "member and into supporting engagement with the inner Wall of the enclosure, said clip having a resilient portion conn'ecting said legs and ofiset laterally from said supporting opening when said legs are projected through'said'clip holding openings in order to avoid interference with the lamp base and socket,

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the outer edge of the fiat portion of the carrier member is provided with a depending collar adapted to surround the neckof the-enclosure.

3. The structure setdorth-in-claim -1 inwhich the carrier -member is substantially disc shaped and the supporting opening is centrally located.

4. Thestructures'et forth'in claim 1 in which the spring 'clip holding openings com-prise slots extending -12mm the riin of the supporting opening.

5. The structure set forthin claim 1 in which the leg connecting portion of 'the spring clip has a section lying a plane-substantially parallel to theupper surface of said carriermember.

6. The structure-set forth in claim 1 in which the clip holding openings are elongated in the directionof a common straight line.

7. Aglobe holder for an electric incandescent lamp having a bulb andabase adapted to be attached in a socket, comprisingin combination a carrier member in the form or a substantially flat portion having a depending annular collar, said member being provided with a central supporting opening and two radially elongated spring clip holding opellihgs on opposite sides of said supporting opening, saidsupporting opening being adapted to be fitted over the base of the lamp for supporting thecarrier member between thebulbof thelamp and the-socket with the bulb projecting from-the under side of the carrier member, and a globe supporting-spring clip having two divergent downwardly extending globe engaging 'legs adapted to project through said clip-holding openings into supporting engagement Withtheinner wall of a globe, said clip being provided with a substantially U -shaped resilient leg connecting portion, whereby the upper ends er :said legs areadapted to be movcd'radially inwardly in said clip holding elongated openings to facilitate the attachment to and removal of said globe from said holder, and said leg connecting portion being laterally ofiset from the plane of saidleg s to-avoid interference with the lamp andthe socket. v

APPLEBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following'references areof record in th file of this patent:

UIQITED STATES PZJTJ-lilNTb Number Name Date 1,198,483 Scott fs ept. 19, 1916 1,331,569 Knapp 1 Feb. 24, 1920 1,340,261 Thompson fMay 18, 1920 1,611,553 Oliver Dec. 21, 1926 1,819,125 Sadacca Aug. 18, 1931 1,841,028 Jones Jan. 12, 1932 1,845,109 Worrell Feb. 16, 1932 2,462,552 Schwab 1 Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date v 513,961 Germany 1930 "603,833 Germany 1934: 

